Read More

1. Boris Johnson (Prime Minister)

Boris Johnson never ruled out proroguing Parliament - but he repeatedly said he wasn't attracted to it (Image: Getty Images)

WHAT HE SAID THEN: "When it comes to weird devices such as prorogation I am certainly not attracted. There are all sorts of things that remain on the table but it's a big and conspicuous table. But I am not remotely attracted to that kind of device, that kind of fiat by executive." (28 June 2019) AND a No10 source said on Sunday - yes, four days ago: "The claim that the Government is considering proroguing parliament in September in order to stop MPs debating Brexit is entirely false."

WHAT HE SAYS NOW: The shameless PM sent out ministers to claim his shutdown was nothing to do with Brexit. And No10 sources insisted MPs would still have time to stage a vote on Brexit, after October 14. Therefore, they claimed, there was no contradiction. Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "Parliament wasn't going to be sitting for most of this time anyway. This is completely constitutional and proper." But what he didn't mention was that MPs were planning to vote to sit during that time... and now they can't.

2. Matt Hancock (Health Secretary)

Friends of Matt Hancock said he had been talking about a different sort of proroguing parliament (Image: Chris J Ratcliffe)

WHAT HE SAID THEN: "Proroguing Parliament undermines parliamentary democracy and risks a general election. I rule it out and call on all candidates to do the same... A policy on Brexit to prorogue Parliament would mean the end of the Conservative Party as a serious party of government." (6 June 2019)

WHAT HE SAYS NOW: Friends of Mr Hancock said he had been talking about proroguing parliament specifically to force through a no-deal Brexit . Rather than suggesting Mr Hancock might quit, a source defended the PM's plan to prorogue parliament. They said: "This is the best way of leaving the EU with a deal. It increases the chances of securing an acceptable agreement and offers the means by which you would get it through parliament."

Read More

3. Amber Rudd (Work and Pensions Secretary)

Amber Rudd did not comment in detail when cornered by a reporter today (Image: Getty Images)

WHAT SHE SAID THEN: "That is absolutely outrageous. The idea of leaving the European Union in order to take back more control into Parliament and to consider closing Parliament in order to deal with that is the most extraordinary idea I’ve ever heard." (16 June 2019)

WHAT SHE SAYS NOW: Cornered by PA Media on a visit to Belfast, she said: "I'm here on a visit to work out what's going on in my department, how people are helping people into work. And what I've seen today has been really reassuring. I'm going to continue to do my job as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions."

4. Sajid Javid (Chancellor)

WHAT HE SAID THEN: "You don’t deliver on democracy by trashing democracy.We’re not selecting a dictator of our country. We’re selecting a Prime Minister of our country - one of the proudest parliamentary democracies in the world. I think to suggest we would suspend parliament and put an end to our sovereign democracy… it’s just not right." (16 June 2019)

WHAT HE SAYS NOW: A tweet from his campaign team in June, highlighting this quote, has been mysteriously deleted. We've contacted his team for comment.

5. Michael Gove (Cabinet Office minister)

“I will defend our democracy" (Image: REUTERS)

WHAT HE SAID THEN: On proroguing to stop no-deal Brexit: "I don’t think that is the right thing to do. I think that we live in a parliamentary democracy. Parliament must vote in order to ensure that we leave the European Union... MPs must honour that referendum result. But we must also respect the fact that we are a parliamentary democracy. And suspending or as the Constitutional experts call it, proroguing parliament in order to try to get no deal through I think would be wrong. (9 June 2019). “I will defend our democracy. And you cannot take Britain out of the EU against the will of Parliament.” (16 June 2019).

WHAT HE SAYS NOW: "The PM is going to bring forward a new Queens Speech... we need new legislation to improve the NHS. We need to make sure we're doing more to help with the cost of living and we also need new laws to enable us to crack down on serious crime. That's what the new Queen's Speech will allow, that's what the Prime Minister is doing."